Sectumsempra
by Luthien Snowtail
Summary: One-shot - Snape/Lily, minor Lily/James


_Set in their fifth year I think. Before the marauder teasing/snape saying mudblood incident, but after the 'you should stop hanging out with mulciber&gang' talk. :)_

_Nothing belongs to me. Boo. :( ;) _

Lily stared in horror at the boy's face. Deep scratches etched across his cheek, nose, and chin.

"They continue across his arm and chest, don't they?" She turned, eyes wide, to Madam Pomfrey, who nodded.

"You don't have to help me, dear, if this is too graphic for you."

"No, it's fine." Lily had turned her eyes back to the boy, "I need to help. I… I think I know a spell that might work."

She concentrated, attempting to remember the correct wording. A memory sprang up; clear as the day it had been made. She saw two children, sitting beside the giant lake on Hogwarts grounds.

"_I've come up with a new spell, Lil. Watch this!"_

_A squirrel that had been unlucky enough to scamper out in front of them found itself slashed, bleeding profusely. _

"_Sev!" She stared, shocked, at the squirrel, who was quickly bleeding to death. _

"_I know the counterspell! I know how to heal it!" He ran ashamedly over to the squirrel and muttered a quick incantation. "There, see?" _

_The squirrel had stopped bleeding, and the cuts were only visible as light scars. The boy who had caused the scratches looked pleadingly at his young friend, begging her to understand, to be proud of him. _

"_You shouldn't have done it in the first place," She declared haughtily, "You should never have invented such a dangerous spell!" _

"_I thought it would be helpful! If… if we're ever faced with You-Know-Who! I don't… well; I want you to be able to defend yourself, Lily!" _

"_I can defend myself perfectly fine with the spells and jinxes I know now. No more destructiveness need be unleashed on the world! Plus, You-Know-Who isn't going to attack second-years!" _

"_Fine!" The boy leapt up and stalked off, leaving her staring after him, wondering if she'd said the right things. _

"If you know such a spell, it would be best to use it now. I managed to stop the bleeding, but I can't get the wounds to heal, even with ditanny." Madam Pomfry looked at Lily questioningly.

"Right, right. I think… I think I know it." She leaned over the pale boy, pointing her shaking wand at the cuts. She sang a soft song, making sure to enunciate every word. Madam Pomfrey watched anxiously as the cuts slowly healed, their angry red fading to soft pink.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you so much!" Madam Pomfrey beamed at the girl, quite pleased with the status of her patient.

"You're welcome. I… I think I'll go now, I'm feeling a bit… lightheaded." Lily gazed off into the distance, her words no more than whispers

"You don't look well. Would you like something?"

"Oh, no, I think I'll just go lie down for a bit." Her voice stayed dreamy

"It is quite late, you're probably just tired! Well, thank you again, and if you still want to help me, I'll need it tomorrow. First quidditch game of the season, Slytherin versus Gryffindor, and there's bound to be some sort of injury!"

"I'll help. I'll be here."

"Thanks a lot, deary! Now, go on and get some rest!"

Lily nodded, eyes still glazed. She let her feet lead her, knowing where she was going but not having the willpower to stop. She slid silently down the corridors, to the potions classroom. She pushed open the already cracked door, sighing at the sight she was met with. A slick-haired boy was bending over a cauldron, muttering ingredients to himself and stirring it feverishly. At the sound of the creaking door, he looked up, and quickly went back to stirring.

"What were you thinking?" She watched him carefully, "What were you _thinking_?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Lily." He didn't look up from the cauldron, but his stirring slowed

"Too bad, you have to. Why did you do it, Sev? Or did you let your little spell get loose?" She clenched and unclenched her fists, breathing heavily. Her dreamy stupor was gone, replaced with boiling anger.

He stopped stirring and looked up at her, taking a steeling breath, "He was annoying me."

"_Annoying _you? Are you _kidding _me? You almost killed him, Severus. He was a second year, and a tiny one at that. You're supposed to be setting an example!"

"I made an _example_ out of him. Hopefully no-one will insult me ever again." Apparently thinking that the conversation was over, he went back to his cauldron.

Lily realized that this tactic wasn't working. She moved on with a smooth shift, "What are you making?"

"Nothing," he muttered

"Sev… c'mon. What is it?" She stepped lightly toward him, and he moved to block the cauldron. He wasn't quick enough, though; she caught a glimpse of gold. "Is that… Sev, what are you playing at?"

He shrugged, "I could use some luck, Lil."

"Don't play God, Severus. You heard Slughorn; Felix Felicis is nearly impossible to make, and if you get it wrong than the consequences are dire. Don't even try."

"I don't really care if the consequences are 'dire', Lily. I just don't care." He turned his face away from her quickly

"Severus Snape, don't ever say those words. I know what you're getting at. Never!"

"You don't seem to care anymore, Lil, and if you don't care than why should I bother?"

"I always care, Sev, always," She sighed, "I told you, though. Don't play around with those 'death eaters'. They're bound for You-Know-Who. I don't want you to go down that route, Sev, I don't want to lose you him. But I am, aren't I? You're already too far gone. You're… You're…" She collapsed on the stool next to him and sobbed, putting her head in her arms.

"I won't go to You-Know-Who, Lil, not as long as I have you. You're something to live for, you know?" He set his hand on her shoulder.

"You better not," She picked her head up and wiped her eyes, sniffing slightly, but smiling, "Sorry, Severus. I need a lot more sleep."

"Walk you back to the Gryffindor room?" He stood up off of his stool and held out his hand. She grabbed it gratefully,

"Sure."

They walked in silence the whole way, each encompassed in their own thoughts. They'd nearly reached the Fat Lady's portrait before Lily spoke up,

"You never told me; why was the boy annoying you?"

Severus stopped and ran a hand through his hair, "He was just saying things. Mean things. I'm sick of the mean things, Lil. That boy was a future Potter, and I was just plain tired of him."

"Future –Severus! I'm sick of you blaming them. Every single time we talk, James Potter has done something wrong. I'm so sick of it!"

"It's not my fault you're blind to his less-than-perfect side!" Severus sneered

"I'm not blind to it, and I don't need you pointing it out all the time! Just stop, Sev!"

"Fine," He mumbled, "Whatever!"

"Severus," He didn't look at her, so she repeated herself louder, "Severus!"

His clear gaze met hers

"Don't ever, ever use sectumsempra against someone again. Ever. I don't care if it's You-Know-Who himself, you don't ever use that spell. You understand me? Promise."

He sighed, "I promise."

"Thank you." She turned to go, but he caught her hand

"Lily?"

"What is it?"

"I…" He shook his head, "Goodnight."

"G'night Sev. I… I'm glad we talked. It's been a while since we've stopped to talk."

He nodded, not wanting to remind her that they'd only been talking because she was angry at him. It seemed that the only reason he ever spoke to her any more was because she was reprimanding him for something or another. He watched her enter through the portrait hole, sadness defining his face.

Lily walked through the common room slowly, stopping to pick up some homework she'd left on a table. She was so wrapped up, she didn't notice the passel of boys sitting around the fire, talking quietly and bending over a book.

"There's your girlfriend, James!" A boy with a strong jaw and laughing eyes whispered this to his friend

"Sirus! She's not my… I mean, I wish but…" The second boy shook his head, and punched his friend lightly

"Um, let's not get distracted here, gentlemen. At this rate, you won't know anything for tomorrow's transfiguration test, and you'll be held back. What would your precious Lily think of that?" A slighter boy, with light hair attempted to regain his friends' concentration.

"She'd not speak to you for months over that," The first boy laughed, "Thanks, Mooney."

The second boy, James, seemed to have not heard, "She looks upset. I think I'll go talk to her."

A fourth boy watched it all with eager eyes, appearing to be afraid of speaking. When he finally gained the courage to say something, his voice was practically a squeak, "They are a cute couple!"

"Is that what you notice about them, Wormy?" Sirius laughed again, "How… 'cute'."

"Oh, don't be mean to him, Sirius." 'Mooney' rolled his eyes at the boys.

Meanwhile, James made his way over to Lily.

"Lily?" He stuck his hands in his pockets, slightly embarrassed at interrupting her apparent study

She glanced up quickly, and then went back to her book, "Oh, hello James."

"I'm sorry to interrupt…" He ran a hand through his hair nervously

"Oh, no, it's alright, I was just packing up." She smiled and closed the book. She reached for her bag, and then realized she didn't have it, "Oh Merlin!"

"Do you need some help?" James took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed a couple of her books. She grabbed the rest, and her papers

"Thank you. I didn't realize that I had forgotten my bag," She walked toward the girls' staircase, "It's very nice of you to help."

"Oh, sure!" He chewed on his lip, debating whether or not to ask… "Hey, Lily, are you alright? You looked kinda upset when you came in."

"Oh, I'm fine!" Her voice was far too bright

"Ok. Well, you know, if you need to talk I'm here. I'm a fairly good listener."

She laughed slightly, "Thanks, James. I'll take it from here," She held her hands out for the books he was carrying, "You can't go up the stairs"

"Oh, right," He blushed, and gave her the books, "Well, see you around."

"Yeah," She spread a blush of her own, "Around."

_(poor snape. :()_


End file.
